Antifouling device for catheads



July 12, 1949. B. F. KELLEY ANTIFOULING DEVICE FOR CATHEADS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 24, 1947 FIGJ Y m L m E E INVENTOR.

FI G.2

ATTORNEY July 12, 1949. B. F. KELLEY 2,475,899

AN'IIFGULING DEVICE FOR CATHEADS Filed July 24, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 BQE KELLEY INVENTO ATTOBNEY Patented July 12, 1949- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,475,89il V ANTIFOULING DEVICE FOR CATHEADS BenjaminF. Kelley, Tulsa, Okla. Application July 24, 1947, Serial No. 753,216

3 Claims. 1

tally disposed hollow reeling drum which isv mounted on an end of a rotating shaft of the draw works of a drilling rig and is commonly provided with radially extending flanges on the opposite ends of the drum which are integral with and, therefore, rotate with the drum. Such cat.- heads are ordinarily used with a length of rope or cable which is reeled thereon to apply a strain or pull on equipment to be-handled about the drilling rig, one end of l the rope being attached to the load and the other being coiled around the drum and held by'an operator. Such catheads are normally rotated at high speeds and in the absence of suitable precautions or adequate protective measures, the first coil of the rope may become fouled with a succeeding coil and, due to the high speed of rotation of the cathead, may jerk the operator holding the free end of the rope into the mechanism with serious hazard of injury or death. a

I have found that one of the principal causes for the fouling of the rope results from the use of the conventional integral flange on the inner end of the cathead against which the pressure of the first coil of the rope is normally exerted. In the normal case, when the first coil of the rope is taken about the cathead and is under load, this coil presses tightly laterally against the integral flange. Since the latter is rotating with the drum, the friction of the rope against the face of the flange causes the rope to ride up on the face of the flange, particularly since such flanges normallyslope upwardly and outwardly from the surface of the drum. This action tends to pull the first coil radially away from the drum surface and this will often leave sufilcient space between the rope and the drum surface for the second coil to slip underneath the first one and so become fouled, with the resulting difliculties and dangers previously referred to.

Existing forms of rope guides or anti-fouling devices for catheads do not take into account the effect of the contact of the first coil with the ing device for catheads.

An important object is the provision of an anti-fouling device which includes a stationary flange surrounding the rotating cathead drum for receiving the lateral pressure of the cathead rope.

Another object is the provision of an antifouling device which includes a stationary flange surrounding the rotating cathead drum and a novel form of rope guide carried by the flange for efiectively separating the first and second coils of the cathead rope on the drum.

' Other and more specific objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings which illustrate one useful embodiment in accordance with this invention.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a cathead and anti-fouling device in accordance with an embodiment of this'invention, the view being taken generally along line l--l of Fig. 2;

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the structure in accordance with an embodiment of this invention;

elements of the anti-fouling device; and

Figs. 5, 6 and '7 are cross-sectional'views along lines 5--5, 6-6 and 1-1, respectively, of Fig; 2, of the element shown in projected plz 'mviev'v in Fig. 4.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral l0 designates a conventional horizontally disposed shaft forming a part of'the usual well-drilling at its inner end with an inwardly. extending Fig. 4 is a projected plan view of one of the a flange I which seats against flange l2 when the drum is in place. Cap screws 16 extend through both flanges and serve to fasten drum [4 rigidly on hub The outer end of drum i4 carries the usual outwardly flaring integral flange i1. With the described arrangement, drum l4 and hub H form a unitary structure which is locked to shaft l0 and rotatable thereby. A clutch plate is is shorm mounted on the inner end of hub ii and locked to flange l2 by means of pinsi9 to form the driving element of a clutch mechanism, not shown, and which forms no part of the present invention. Numeral 20 indicates a portion of a tubular guard which is designed to enclose and shield the clutch mechanism and its connected elements (not shown). The outer end of guard 20 is provided with an annular end plate 2| which has a hollow central hub 22 which closely surrounds the inner end of drum i4 and serves as a journal therefor. A sleeve bearing 23 annularly disposed between hub 22 and flange [2 of hub provides an anti-friction surface for retation of drum l4 relative to plate 2|, which is, of course, stationary. It will be understood that plate 2| need not be a part of guard 20 but may be aflixed to any stationary portion of the drawworks structure or any other adjacent stationary structure.

The outer face of plate 2| has mounted thereon an arcuate abutment 24 which closely surrounds an arcuate segment of the drum surface immediately adjacent the outer face of plate 2|. Abutment 24 extends circumferentially about drum 4 through an are which normally is greater than 90 degrees, and in most cases, for about 135 to 145 degrees. Abutment 24 also increases progressively in thickness, that is, in the dimension parallel to the axis of the drum, in the direction of rotation of the drum (See Figs. 4, 5, 6 and 7 particularly). The maximum thickness of abutment 24 at one end will normally be slightly greater than the diameter of the rope to be wound on the drum and will taper gradually down to zero thickness at its opposite end where it merges smoothly with the surface of plate 2|. Abutment 24 will normally be cast integrally with plate 2| but may, of course, be separately cast or machined and affixed to the face of plate 2| in any conventional manner, as by welding, for example. Abutment 24 is termed by me a "rope crowder and functions to direct the first coil of the rope R, (see v Figs. 1 and 3 particularly) into its proper helix, so that the rope, entering from in front of and underneath drum l4, will be progressively crowded outwardly from plate 2| over the drum surface and will thereby be prevented from becoming fouled at the point where the rope, in beginning its second coil, passes the first coil on the drum. Since, as noted previously, plate 2| is stationary, there will be no tendency for the first coil of the rope to ride up and out on the face of the plate when under load .and the danger of fouling is thereby further decreased.

The point of entry of the rope upon drum |4 may vary angularly rather widely between the horizontal and vertical directions. In order to further assure complete separation of the first and second coils irrespective of the angle at which the rope enters upon the .drum, a flat,

flexible steel flnger 25, oi' arcuate form,'- is proenlarged end of abutment 24 by means of countersunk screws 26' and is normally seated in a suitable recess-21 cut in the outer face of abutment 24 to a. depth, as measured parallel to the axis of the drum, such that the outer face of finger 25 will be flush with the outer face of abutment 24. The inner face of recess 21 against which flnger 25 is seated is made parallel to the face of plate 2| so that flnger 25 will extend parallel to the face of plate 2| rather than continue at the same angle at which abutment 24 diverges from the face of the plate. The arcuate length of finger 25 will normally be greater than degrees, so that the total are covered by both abutment 24 and finger 25 will substantially exceed degrees and preferably 270 degrees or more. In any event, the total length of abutment 24 and finger 25 and their angular position about drum M will normally be such that the free end of finger 25 will extend-past the point at which the second coil of the rope passes the point of entry of the rope on the drum surface and will thereby assure complete separation of the first and second coils of the rope.

An upwardly turned hook element 28 extends outwardly from plate 2| below drum l4 and serves as a rest or support for the load end of the rope when not in use.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that the anti-fouling device in accordance with this invention comprises a stationary plate surrounding the inner end of a cathead and is combined with a novel form of rope guide and divider for cathead ropes to assure complete separation of the first and second coils of a cathead rope and to thereby effectively prevent fouling of the rope as it is reeled on the cathead drum at conventional high speeds.

It will be understood that various alterations and changes may be made in the details of the illustrative structure without departing from the scope of the appended claims but within the spirit of this invention.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In catheads including a rotatable cathead drum and a rope to be wound thereon, an antifouling device, comprising, a stationary plate member annularly surrounding said drum adjacent an end thereof about which the initial turns of said rope are wound, and an arcuate abutment integral with the face of said plate member facing the winding surface of said drum, said abutment encircling a portion of the circumference of said drum and increasing progressively in lateral thickness in the direction of rotation of said drum.

2. In catheads including a rotatable cathead drum and a rope to be wound thereon, an antifouling device, comprising, a stationary plate member annularly surrounding said drum adjacent an end thereof about which the initial turns of said rope are wound, an arcuate abutment integral with the face of said plate member facing the winding surface of said drum, said abutment encircling a portion of the circumference of said drum and increasing progressively in lateral thickness in the direction of rotation of said drum, and an arcuate finger element extending from the enlarged end portion of said abutment substantially parallel to and spaced from said plate member for a major portion of the remaining portion of the drum circumference.

3. In catheads including a rotatable cathead drum and a rope to be wound thereon, an anti- ,fouling device, comprising, a stationary plate member annularly surrounding said drum adjacent an end thereof about which the initial turns of said rope are wound, an arcuate abutment integral with said plate member encircling a REFERENCES CITED portion of the circumference of said drum and The following referenlces are of record in the diverging from the face of said plate member file of t patent;

in the direction of rotation of said drum to form 5 a helical guiding surface for the first turn of UNITED STATES PATENTS said rope about said drum, and a flexible metal Number I Name Date finger element extending from the larger end of 419,427 Eichner Jan. 14, 1890 said abutment circumferentially of said drum and 1,175,602 Chidley Mar. 14, 1916 parallel to and spaced from the adjacent sur- 10 1,489,902 Segelhoist Apr. 8, 1924 face of said plate member. 1,659,521 Dye -1 Feb. 14, 1928 BENJAIVIIN F. KELLEY. 1,734,832 Shanklin NOV. 5, 1929 

